Police Announce Suspect's Capture

Mary O'Keefe

Local police officers have arrested a man who last week caused a nearby neighborhood to be under lock down.

Winston Baker, 26, from Sunland was wanted in connection with a vehicle stolen from Bakersfield. The vehicle in question, a white pick up truck, was first called to law enforcement's attention on Thursday, Feb. 23, when a community member noticed that the back license plate did not match the front. The truck was parked in front of a duplex in the 2800 block of Altura Avenue. After a brief investigation, the officer found that the vehicle identification number had been reported as stolen in Bakersfield.

According to Sgt. Tom Lorenz of the GPD, the officer then back away from the truck, waiting for assistance to arrive. At some point, Baker allegedly came out of the duplex and entered the vehicle. However, when he saw the officer he ran back into the duplex, which then ignited a standoff that lasted over five hours. Glendale's Special Weapons and Tactics [SWAT] was called out as were many police officers and a negotiating team.

It wasn't until 8 p.m. that officers obtained a search warrant for the duplex, at which time they entered the residence. Baker, however, was not there.

According to GPD, he is on parole for grand theft auto and grand theft. If he is found guilty of being involved in the Bakersfield vehicle theft, this would be his third strike.

Glendale police received an anonymous tip that led them to an address in Sunland. According to GPD spokesman Officer John Balian, officers set up a perimeter around the residence, then approached the home. As he did during the La Crescenta standoff, Baker again came out, saw police, and ran back into the home. After 10 minutes of police calling to him on a police megaphone, he surrendered without incident. He was arrested on parole violation and there are allegations that he stole the truck from Bakersfield.

In relation to the earlier standoff, there was one arrest on Thursday. Michelle Lee Poulsen, 20, of Tujunga was taken out of the La Crescenta duplex early during the standoff but did not give police any information. She was arraigned in No. Valley Superior Court on Feb. 27 on one count of receiving and concealing stolen property, one count of identity theft and two counts of unlawful use of personal identity. Poulsen pleaded not guilty to all four counts and was assigned an $80,000 bail amount. She is scheduled to appear in San Fernando Superior Court on March 7.

Anyone with information regarding the Thursday standoff should call the Glendale Police Department at 548-4818, and talk to either Sgt. Tom Lorenz or Officer John Balian.